Interesting discussion here about 1/72 figs with "african" faces..indeed it is posible to make them disttingueable..just check all zulu sets, african insurgent set,dervishes, almoravid.. so manufacturers can make that. Different question if it is worth, in case of these americano regiments... i think maybe there aré other gap priorities...

Interesting discussion here about 1/72 figs with "african" faces..indeed it is posible to make them disttingueable..just check all zulu sets, african insurgent set,dervishes, almoravid.. so manufacturers can make that. Different question if it is worth, in case of these americano regiments... i think maybe there aré other gap priorities...

very true on both counts.when you look at the new japanese sets from strelets,they have japanese faces.the call to arms set of the 54th look the part as well.
but besides a small few like me who would like to give these guys their do,who else would buy them.probably not many.

The OP writes about the 54th Massachusetts. However, there were many more black regiments in the Union Army. Almost 200,000 blacks served as Union soldiers. That is a sizable portion if the Union Army.

Basically, almost all black regiments, including the 54th Massachusetts, wore the standard Union uniform. A couple of the regiments raised by General Butler in New Orleans MAY, I repeat MAY, have been dressed as Zouaves. IIRC, there was a full corps of black troops as part of the Army of the Potomac under Grant.

It would probably be a good idea to issue a set a black soldiers for those who want a more representative Union Army.

Old Glory makes a nice line of Spanish American War Troops. I have bought Marines with caps and Marines with slouch hats as well as U.S. sailors so I can make dioramas from the movie the Wind and The Lion. There is a set of Buffalo Soldiers in their line of products. I am planning a table size diorama and I hope that placing some 28mm figures far enough away from the 1/72 scale figures will work out. Check these out and see if you like them.

I think the best compromise for this unit is to include extra heads in the American Civil War sets, that have African features. Then the purchaser can use those heads to create new units of Black soldiers.

I'm always looking for accurate facial details, and also helmet/hat details, and they never go unnoticed by me. I've always loved Strelets sets ever since the first Charge of the Light Brigade Cavalry sets came out. Like the song (kinda/sorta) goes, "Strelets had me at the first glance of helmets and facial details." Any details below there didn't matter.

So, if a set were dedicated as the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry then they should look like African Americans, or if not, then as Mike says, I'd love to see heads as accessories.

Go 54th!

And, the Buffalo Soldiers would be a great future set also. Super suggestion!

when doing a conflict, one should start with basic sets first, that gives impression of customers' demand to this conflict. That's a lesson we learned, when we started Crimean war series. Should the series prove to be a success, we can expand in nearby areas.